


The light of my world

by blooming_sunrise



Category: Runaways (Comics)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Rewrite, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Follows Canon, One Shot Collection, deanoru - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:40:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26005828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blooming_sunrise/pseuds/blooming_sunrise
Summary: this a collection of one-shots that I write as I read the comics.it's mostly Nico and Karolina having moments together and being all cute and supportive, as I follow canon they might not end up together until they're together in the comics, it stars at issue 17 of the second volume.
Relationships: Karolina Dean & Nico Minoru, Karolina Dean/Nico Minoru
Comments: 13
Kudos: 38





	1. Losing friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> after Gert dies Karolina goes to check up on Nico.

It shouldn't hurt as much, it really shouldn't, and yet it hurt more than anything.

  
Nico didn't understand how things went so wrong. First her parents, then Alex, and now Karolina.

She kept replaying the moment she left.

Nico doesn't like girls but she can't stop thinking about what would've happened if they had kissed, it doesn't matter how hard she tries to focus on something else, Karolina is still in the forefront of her mind.

  
Maybe she should've brought her back, because not having her was more painful than discovering her parents were evil or being betrayed by Alex but Gert was right, Karolina made her choice. And of course, she would, of course, she would travel to another galaxy with a stranger if they needed help, how could Nico be mad at that. She was just sad and confused, and lonely.

  
She had her other friends but she hadn't realized how special Karolina was, how much time they used to spend together, how much she relied on her.

She wanted everything to stop, but it didn't. It got worse.

  
  
Nico was holding Karolina’s bracelet while asking to whomever that might listen for help getting Molly back.

The next thing she knew Victor was the spy and she felt she was the worst person in the world, and the worst leader. She couldn't protect any of her friends, more than that she hurt them and now Victor had betrayed them. She didn't know what to do.

The Hostel was suddenly filled with a familiar light. It couldn't be.

“Karolina?” Chase said voicing the confusion everyone felt.

“No” It felt like a dream, a miracle. It couldn't be. “If you're the real Karolina, tell me where—”

“In the Beverly Gardens, right before I left the planet”.

Karolina was always good at reading Nico.

“Oh, thank God,” she said falling into Karolina’s arms. It felt warmer than she remembered, and she hated that they couldn't have a proper reunion but they had to save Molly.

* * *

  
She knew they didn't win. They defeated the bad guys, Geoffrey was back where he belonged, and yet they've never lost so much.

She was convinced she was the worst leader. The worst friend.

She couldn't even appreciate having Karolina back when everything still felt like it was falling apart. This was more painful.

Nothing made sense anymore, they lost Gert forever.  
  
“Hey” a voice broke into the silent room. “Wanna talk? We didn't even get time to catch up”.

“I'm really glad you're back.”

“I'm happy to be back, you know, as happy as I can be considering... well, everything”.

“Yeah, it must suck to come here to _this_ right after what happened to you... and to Xavin, y’know, the wedding thing and all”.

“Weirdly that feels like a small loss, Xavin doesn't agree of course, but I knew Gert, I cared about her, and we just lost her”.

There was a long moment of dead silence in the room. Karolina was now sitting on the bed facing Nico and took her hand.

“It wasn't your fault, Nico”.

Nico looked up. Karolina, more often than not she knew exactly what Nico was thinking, and suddenly she realized why she felt so lonely when Karolina left. She wasn't very good at talking about her feelings or generally acknowledging them, she would rather deal with her feelings alone or avoid them altogether, but Karolina didn't let her do that, and she hated to admit it, but she missed having someone she felt save enough to be vulnerable with.

“I'm supposed to protect you... protect them, and I failed miserably”.

“You did all you could, you saved Xavin and Molly and fixed the whole mess with the New Pride, you did amazing”.

“And yet, Gert is dead,” they were both silent for a moment, Nico let go a sigh before continuing, “and it's not only that, I've been a mess since you left, I don't know what's wrong with me”.

“Nothing is wrong with you, Nico”, Karolina said moving closer. “You're under a lot of stress, you've been trying to keep it together, to keep _us_ together since the night our parents died”.

“And I'm not doing a very good job, first Alex, then you left, then Gert... Chase and Old Lace are also gone. I'm the worst leader and you can't deny it”.

“There's nothing you could've done, and Chase will be back, I know it. I came back”.

“Only because your planet exploded or something”.

“Or maybe I'm just meant to be here, with you”.

Nico looked back to their hands, she was holding to Karolina's like a lifeline. Karolina felt real and safe, and right at that moment nothing felt right but her.

“We can't bring her back but we can keep doing what we do for her, I know it's not a lot but that's what we can do."

"I shouldn't have wasted the spell on Alex" Nico whispered.

"Don't say that you did the right thing, you always try to do the right thing, that's all we can do Nico, don't be so hard on yourself."

"I'm gonna miss her so much," Nico almost smiled. "We've known her since she was born." 

"Yeah, you went to kindergarten together, right?"

"She was a piece of work back then, one time she hid all My Little Ponies in the woods because she said they didn't belong in captivity."

"Well she was right," Nico smiled, maybe they could mourn in a slightly less painful way, maybe Gert would've liked that. "I can't believe you used to play with My Little Ponies," Karolina said mirroring Nico's smile. 

"I was five."

"Still, seems pretty out of character now."

"Well, I'm not playing with them now. Also, I kept them captive so there's that."

"Okay, yeah, that's true."

After a moment of staring at Karolina's eyes, Nico hugged her for a long while, she was sure that she wouldn't be able to continue after all of it if Karolina wasn't there. When she finally let go her heart dropped a little bit and she felt a little dizzy, but she ignored it.

"I wanted to apologize," she said and bit her lip. "For the way I acted, when you left, I mean."

"You don't have to, Nico, I understand. And _I'm_ sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"I... I just wasn't expecting it. It took me by surprise," Nico said looking down.

"Nico..." Karolina said softly and Nico couldn't help but look up to find a caring look she didn't feel like she deserved but Karolina was just so beautiful that she couldn't look away. "We are going to be okay, all of us."

It was a good thing Nico didn't like girls because if she did, she'd be so incredibly jealous and a little bit heartbroken. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I wrote this right after I read issue 18 (at the beginning of issue 19) and the whole idea of these shots came to mind, I can go writing my own story as things come so yeah, hope you enjoy it


	2. Twenty-one century

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It feels so good to be home.

Nico was on the rooftop with her arms tightly wrapped around herself.

“You must be freezing,” said Karolina putting a jacket over Nico’s shoulders.

“Kar! Thanks, I forget New York is actually cold” Nico said, gladly taking the jacket. “Aren't you? Cold, I mean."

“No, I'm good,” Karolina said wrapping her arms around Nico.

Nico closed her eyes sinking into the sunlike warmth of Karolina's arms. It was nice, Karolina always helped her to find peace just by being around, it felt, if even for a moment, that she wasn't alone, that the weight of the world didn't rest only on her shoulders and that she wasn't the only one fighting for their safety.

But she was the leader and the present problem was on her.

“I totally folded in that meeting,” she said after a while.

“The kingpin targeted you. You go after the strong ones first, and you're the strongest... he shook us all up."

“Not all of us, he made quite the impression on Xavin.”

“Ugh, yeah, she can be such a guy sometimes”. Karolina said rolling her eyes.

“But she isn't, Is she? I mean, she can change but... originally? Like, as a Skrull... I'm gonna stop talking.”

“I think is complicated for people to get.”

“But not to you?”

“No when she's alone with me... it just works, it doesn't feel that complicated.”

“How can you know that's real? The real her?”

“What are you doing?”

“I... I didn't mean anything by it...” she hasn't, she didn't know why she asked that but she wasn't trying anything.

“She's just learning to be human. She's trying to change, to be better, do you see anyone doing that kind of effort?”

“I didn't...”

“I know she doesn't fit in but isn't that what we're all about?”

“I seriously didn't mean anything, we like her, Xavin is cool, l...”

“She's more than that. She gives me something you can't” Karolina said and flew away.

Nico stood there, on the rooftop with her arms wrapped around herself wondering how did she always manage to screw things up.

* * *

Nico never knew she could feel that tired. Time travel was complicated, to say the least, so much had happened and she wasn’t sure of what was their next step. She couldn’t stop thinking, she couldn’t stop the flashbacks, so she got up and tried to find a place where she could see the stars. At least they were back in LA and in the twenty-one century.

“I was really worried,” Karolina said. “I’m still worried, I mean, you’re sneaking out in the middle of the night.”

“I’m not sneaking out, I’m going out just for a little bit, I can’t sleep.”

“Where are we going?” Karolina said taking her jacket.

Nico smiled. “Anywhere the sky is visible. You don’t have to come.”

“You don’t want me to? I mean if you want to be alone, that’s okay.”

“No, it’s fine.”

The stars were a little hard to see but it was nice to be back. 

“So, what happened?” Karolina asked looking at Nico.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, back in 1907 you disappeared and when you came back... you seemed... different.”

“Like, bad different?” Nico asked looking a little bit concerned.

“No, just different... more powerful?”

“Well, it was about time, the staff of one is so mighty, and I should step up.”

“You sure you’re okay? With everything that happened?”

“You mean Victor?” Nico said and Karolina noded. “Yeah, they were meant to be, I can’t believe she decided to stay”.

“Meant to be...” Karolina repeated quietly.

“I’m sorry about what I said about Xavin, it was none of my business.”

“It’s okay, I got mad because you said my fears aloud but it’s all in the past, I know who the real Xavin is.”

“That sounds good”.

“It is,” Karolina said and then bit her lip. “When I told you that she gives me something that you can’t, that wasn’t fair.”

“It’s okay, it’s true. I’m sorry I got involved, I don’t know why I do things like that”.

“I like to think you were just worried”.

“Oh, I was for sure, but it wasn’t my place. I’m always worried about you. You mean a lot to me, Kar”.

“You mean a lot to me too”. Karolina said resting her head on Nico’s shoulder.

They stayed like that for a while, and in the silence, the stars seemed a little brighter and the world a little better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to just write something and I really like midnight conversations.   
> I know this one is kinda... I don't know, simple? boring? I don't know, I didn't hate it so here it is.  
> Please let me know what you think!  
> Also, we can chat over at Tumblr, I'm as blooming-sunrise <3  
> (by the way, I'm loving the comics so much, I can't believe they're this good).


	3. Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xavin's gone and it's really hard on Karolina. Nico is always there to help.

Karolina was laying in bed with a blanket over her. She looked so small and Nico felt a pinch in her chest when she walked into the room.

“I brought you something to eat. It's cereal, it's the only thing that survived”.

“Thanks” breathed Karolina without moving.

“I'm so sorry, Kar. If you need something... I'm not very good at emotions but I'm here, if you need to talk or if you just need company. I'm here for you”.

“I don't even know where to begin,” Karolina said looking up.

“You can just talk, it doesn't have to make sense”.

“Okay...” she said sitting up. Nico sat on the bed, next to Karolina. “I don't really want cereal”.

“I'll eat it” Nico shrugged. “How are you?”

“I'm mad and sad, it feels wrong, everything feels wrong, this was my parents' mess, I was supposed to fix it, Xavin didn't have the right to try to fix this for me... and she wasn't supposed to leave me”.

“But you were willing to leave her... to leave us behind”.

“It was my responsibility”.

“No it wasn't, just as it wasn't Xavin's, she thought it was her responsibility too, that's why she left, isn't it?”

“She thinks she can make amends in the name of the Skrulls”.

“You think she can't?”

“I think they'll kill her if they discover who she really is”

“I understand your concern but Xavin is smart and can hold her own”.

“She's outnumbered”.

That was true “She's coming back”

“What if she doesn't, I don't know what I'll do without her”.

“I know it's not the same but you're not alone”

“And I truly appreciate it... but the connection I have with her... what if never happens again, I mean, she literally fell down the sky. And it's selfish, I should be worried about her and instead, I'm worried about what would happen to me if she never comes back.” Karolina said running her hands through her hair.

“I think it's normal, when you were gone, as much as I was worried about you, I worried about the person I was becoming because you weren't here” Nico admitted, she thought about that a lot, and that's why she couldn't let Karolina go again, she liked better the person she was when Karolina was around. “There's still so much to life and we won't be running forever, she'll come back or, if something happens, you'll find someone, either way, you'll be okay”

“I don't want someone else”

“I know, I'm so sorry, I should've tried harder to stop her,” Nico said feeling guilt in the pit of her stomach.

“Did you know that wasn't me?”

“I would never have let you get into that ship, you're not leaving us again, ever”.

“You couldn't have done much, I couldn't, she made her mind. And maybe it was because I didn't love her enough, not like she deserved”

“What do you mean?”

“I love her, I really do, and I was totally committed to her but... there's a part of me that never stopped liking you,” Karolina said looking at her hands.

Nico didn't know what to say and didn't know why her stomach was fluttering behind all the other feelings of anxiety that lived there since they ran away. She didn't know how she felt about Karolina anymore and she didn't want to jump to conclusions that could potentially hurt both of them so she stayed silent.

“I know it's not fair to you that I keep bringing that up, and as I said, I love Xavin, I just don't know what is it about you...”

“It's okay, Kar, you should always feel safe telling me how you feel... I just-”

“I know,” Karolina said still looking at her nails.

Nico looked down at the forgotten bowl of cereal in her hand, Karolina couldn't possibly know even half of the confusing feelings that Nico had running through her body.

* * *

Nico was reading and would occasionally roll her eyes at the antics of Molly, Klara, and Victor while playing video games, it was nice to know they could still just be kids, after everything they had gone through.

Karolina left quietly by the back door, she was doing better but having Xavin gone was still hard for everyone but especially her. Nico decided to follow Karolina if only to make sure she was okay.

“Hey, K, wait up!” she said moving a little faster, Karolina stayed where she was until Nico was beside her. “You okay?” Nico asked.

“Yeah, I was just going for a walk on the beach”.

“Can I come?”

“Sure” Karolina answered and they started walking.

The new house was nice, it had amazing views of the ocean and it was so close to the beach. Nico could tell that for once they all enjoyed the place they were in.

“What are you thinking?” Nico asked after a few minutes of walking in silence. It was a little weird, that was normally Karolina’s line.

“About how things change,” Karolina said after a moment. “It wasn't so long ago that we were just kids, y'know? Living with our parents, going to school, unaware of just how much different we are”.

“Yeah, it feels like a lifetime has passed. I do not miss school at all but I do miss normal, not that I ever felt normal, it's weird”.

“Me neither, I guess I was always different and I don't mean the 'I'm an alien' different”.

“Different is good, you're unique... special, I mean, you literally glow,” Nico said and Karolina smiled. “I missed your smile, it's nice to see it again”.

“I really thought the pain would never go away but, it's getting better”.

“That's what Xavin would want, she'd be proud”.

“I hope so. Thank you for everything, Nico”.

Nico looked down at the sand before tentatively reaching for Karolina’s hand. “Anytime”.

They walked together holding hands for a while, knowing that, no matter what, they had each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I've been having a lot of trouble writing anything so this is an accomplishment, even though it's not my best.  
> Hope you enjoyed it!  
> Stay safe <3  
> [you can find me on Tumblr](https://blooming-sunrise.tumblr.com)


End file.
